Q: Although you’re known best as the author of the highbrow murder mystery "The Name of the Rose," you’re also a prolific political commentator
whose essays have now been collected in a book, “Turning Back the Clock,” in
which you warn against the dangers of “media populism.” How would you define
that term?

A: Media populism means appealing to people directly through media.
A politician who can master the media can shape political affairs outside of
parliament and even eliminate the mediation of parliament.

It's a great topic of conversation for all you social-media cats out there. This kind of populism doesn't quite end with the availability of social-media tools and rules; we have a whole new generation of demagogues, for sure. But the availability of the tools and rules can certainly help educate the public of these dangers.